Green The Color Of Pride

Following the rainbow that hangs in the sky, I must find the end of this beauty. I must but why, must I? These colors that seems to radiate beauty with blue, green, purple, and even yellow. Wondering what I might find as I walk along its side. No-one has ever made it to the end. I will find and its secrets I will keep. Just a little bit further I see I must go the end is near of this rainbow. Black pot it seems to sit at the end with the light touching what is inside, these colors they seem to shine so bright. My curiosity, grows so deep I have to see what lies inside. Just a few more steps one, two, maybe three. A sound I hear from the bushes besides, rustling and tiny giggles. Fear does not arise, as I watch from afar a tiny man in green as it seems to be running back and forth from this black pot. While he giggles and sings in his tiny voice:

Me gold – Me gold – So shiny and true, you mustn’t touch it or I’ll kidnap you.

I have to get closer as he says there is gold, as tiny as he is I can take it no problem. Second step, closer to the pot excitement builds, third step stretching out my hand I have finally made it. Little green man, ran to get more so I start to grab to the pot before he returns. The tiny voice I hear is right behind me so close I feel him breathing on my neck. Singing his song:

Me gold – Me gold – So shiny and true, you mustn’t touch it or I’ll kidnap you.

Now from inside a potato bag the sound of a tiny men army is singing along:

Me gold – Me gold – So shiny and true, you mustn’t touch it or I’ll kidnap you.

St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. He was born in Roman Britain, and he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of sixteen. Later he had escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. Mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Legend has it that Patrick stood on an Irish hillside and delivered a sermon that drove the island’s serpents into the sea.

Emerald Isle is snake-free, and that seems to be the case throughout history. Water has surrounded Ireland since the end of the last glacial period, which seems to be stopping the snakes from slithering their way up.

Until the 1700's, St. Patrick’s Day was only a Roman Catholic feast only taking place in Ireland. The day was spent in quiet prayer at church or at home. The parades started when the Iris immigrated to the United States. March 17th then became a day with pride.

Why Is Green Associated with St. Patrick’s Day

The knights in the order of St. Patrick wore a color known as St. Patrick’s Blue. The color seems to date back to the 18th century when supporters of Irish independence used the color to represent their cause. For St. Patrick Day, the Irish wear green because the flag is green and orange. The green represents Irish nationalism. The orange represents the minority protestants who were supporters of William of Orange a Stadtholder of the Netherlands in the sixteenth century.

The Irish In America

Up until the mid-19th century, most of the Irish that had immigrated to America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to one million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics poured into America. They had trouble finding jobs, and the day the Irish took the streets for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The news papers had them in cartoons labeled as drunken monkeys.

The Irish American’s soon realize that their large growing numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. Organizing their voter block, which they called “ The Green Machine” which became an important swing vote for hopefuls. Suddenly St. Patrick’s Day, became a show of “STRENGTH.”

What Do Leprechauns have to do with St. Patrick’s Day?

Leprechauns come from an Irish folklore called “Lobaircin,” which means – “small bodied fellow.” Leprechauns stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men, and women would use their powers for good and evil. In the Celtic folktales, Leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of other fairies. Leprechauns were also known for their trickery and protecting their treasure. Leprechauns, have their own Holiday which is May 13th but also celebrated on St. Patrick’s Day.

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